Draco Malfoy's fifth year in Gryffindor
by Hailey1986
Summary: AU Draco is about to start his fifth year in Hogwarts as a Gryffindor, along with Harry, Ron and Hermione. Story continued from a story that I started a year ago.
1. A long summer

All right so if you check my profile, you'll notice that I skipped three years ahead for this story. The reason is, I have been wanting to write the fifth year for this story which is why I started the Draco/Gryffindor series in the first place, because I wanted Draco to have a show down with his father in the ministry. I also decided to stop writing (which you can see has almost been a year) because I didn't like the way I was going with the stories. I've reread the first two stories and I think I am either going to rewrite them or just leave them and ignore them, I'm not sure yet. You can check them out if you want but I'll forewarn you that they aren't that great and the first one is pretty much the first book all over again except through Draco's eyes, same dialogue and everything, which obviously if Draco did end up in Gryffindor everything would be different. 

Anyway, you can check it out and see what I mean and you'll understand why I stopped writing. Also I don't have the second book and haven?t read it for a while so I don?t remember any of the events in it anymore. I do however have the fifth book so I?ll be able to read through it but a lot will be different.

I might do third and fourth year. I?m not sure. If you would like to see them, I will. Also, if you haven?t checked the other stories or read my profile then let me explain something. I started this story after watching the first movie and wondered what would happen if Draco ended up in Gryffindor instead of Slytherin. I started getting idea?s in my head for it, especially for the fifth book and wrote down my ideas but then of course I didn?t like the way the first two were going so I stopped. A week ago I moved to a new place and found those notes and decided to start again.

So heres the first chapter:

Draco Malfoy sat in his room finishing up a long potions essay feeling agitated and out of place. He rarely left his room any more when he was at home. He just didn?t feel welcome in his own house anymore. What he wanted most was to be with his three best friends but from the letter he received from his friend Hermione Granger, he knew that was impossible. He looked over at the letter that he had read several times that lay beside his desk.

_Dear Draco.  
I can?t tell you exactly where we are in case this letter is intercepted but I wanted to let you know that we?re all ok and wish we could see you soon. I just wanted to let you know that we look forward to seeing you on September first on the school train. Please take care of yourself and don?t be angry.  
Love from Hermione_

Draco was feeling frustrated by all of this. Hadn?t he proved the past four years that he could be trusted? He had helped all three of his friends, particularly Harry out of trouble and this was how they pay him back? He wasn?t allowed to spend the summer with them just because of who is father was. He remembered the accusatory stares that his three friends had given him after Harry had battled with He-who-must-not-be-named, as if they thought he knew the Tri-wizard cup would be a port-key.

They had told them they trusted him but why was he still sitting at home where he was unwanted while Hermione and Ron were having fun somewhere. Harry was writing to him almost everyday complaining that he was still stuck at his aunt and uncles place, but Draco ignored his complaints. At least Harry was going to be allowed to go to wherever Ron and Hermione were for the rest of the summer.

He didn?t even have Pansy Parkinson to keep him entertained over the summer anymore. She had ruined their friendship once again when she told that pathetic reporter things about him that was put into the Daily Prophet. He remembered the first time she had betrayed him, when he had been sorted into Gryffindor and she turned against him later apologizing. That was back when she didn?t want to be included in the Death Eaters but now she did. He had a feeling that if he had been in Slytherin he would have changed his mind as well.

Just as he was proofreading his essay his bedroom door opened and his father stepped in. Draco looked at him and saw that he had a stern expression on his face, which meant that once again he was going to lecture Draco.

"Draco, I have been fairly patient these past few years but the time has come for me to put an end to all of this. I know I should have stepped in when you first became friends with that blood traitor poor Weasley and the mudblood but I was hoping you would come to your senses." His father said staring down at him.

"You haven?t been patient father, every letter, every vacation you have told me not to be friends with them. If I haven?t listened to you before, what makes you think I will now?" Draco said feeling all the built up frustration.

"And yet I still stood back, allowing you to be friends with them. The Dark Lord is back Draco, things are going to change. He knows about your friendship and he is willing to give you the chance to break it off. You should be grateful, the Dark Lord does not give chances." His father answered.

Draco stood up angrily, his father looked shocked. Draco usually either begged his father, or kept quiet but not anymore. He was tired of being pushed around. He was tired of his father telling him how much of a disappointment he is. He and father were the same height now, Draco stared angrily into the cold grey eyes of his father same as his own.

"I know all about it father. Harry told me how when he battled with You-Know-Who all the Death Eaters laughed at him, including you! You! The summer before last you let him stay over because you said you wanted to get to know him, you acted like you liked him but all you were doing was using him and me to get You-Know-Who information about him." Draco yelled.

"I did not use Harry or you Draco. I had no idea when the Dark Lord was coming back. I was pleased with your friendship with Harry. The two of you would have made a terrific duo for what is coming if you hadn?t had the other two holding you back. Unfortunately it?s too late for Harry, but not for you."

"It is too late for me father." Draco answered. "I don?t have to follow in your footsteps and I won?t. I?m going to be friends with them no matter what you say. Harry told me how the Dark Lord mentioned that I was friends with them and that you should be ashamed. He told me how you kissed his feet, asking for his forgiveness."

Draco continued holding his ground as he saw his father clenching his wand in his robe pocket. He wouldn?t do anything with it. Draco knew that. He seemed to be lost for words for a moment as they stared into each others eyes. He had never seen his father so furious before and Draco wondered if he had gone too far. He didn?t want to hurt his father, he just wanted him to know that he had made his choice and it was now time to accept it.

"Draco, I told you in your first year that you were making a mistake and you would realize soon. This will be the year that you will realize it, I know in the end you?ll make the right decision. For now, you better hope that your friends don?t tell you anything important because the Dark Lord will want to meet with you soon, he is a powerful Leglimens. He?ll torture you to get information, even kill you."

For the first time Draco sensed some fear in his fathers voice. He was still trying to look at Draco in a stern way but Draco could see that he was fighting it because he could also see how scared for him father was. Draco let out a breath.

"Father, a great man once told someone that they should die than betray their friends. I would do the same for mine if that time comes." Draco answered. "And I?ll learn how to block him from my thoughts if I have to."

"Expect that time to come soon Draco but I do know you?ll make the right decision in the end." His father said softly finally looking away. His voice suddenly went stern again. "I also thought you should know that Harry could be expelled from Hogwarts."

"What?" Draco exclaimed. "Not from the rubbish that they are printing in the Daily Prophet?"

"No, no, although that might count against him during his hearing. No, Harry did underage magic again. The Ministry did expel him but of course your Headmaster stepped in and put a stop to it. He is now having a hearing to see whether or not he can stay in Hogwarts. It happened a couple nights ago." His father answered. "Anyway Draco, think about what I said. I have to get going."

Draco watched his father go retaining all this new information in head. Did his father actually look scared that Draco could be killed? Did he actually stand up to his father? And why didn?t Harry tell him that he could be expelled from Hogwarts? Draco felt furious again that he seemed to be left out of everything. Of course Ron and Hermione would know that Harry was going to be expelled. Furiously he grabbed a quill and blank parchment and began scribbling an angry note to Harry.

_Harry  
Why didn?t you tell me that you could be expelled? What happened? Why did you do magic outside if school when you knew you could be expelled from when Dobby did magic? I wish I knew what was going on with you, Ron and Hermione. They aren?t telling me anything, in fact I?ve only gotten one letter from Hermione all summer. All you write to me is that you are sick of being stuck at your aunt and uncles. Let me know what is going on with all of you.  
Draco_

He called his owl Owl down from her perch and quickly tied the scroll around her leg. He hoped that the letter wouldn?t be intercepted. That was a huge risk, especially if his father noticed. Draco imagined that his father was down in his office now. Draco walked over to his bed and laid down thinking about the past. He remembered way back to when he was eleven and had believed that he would be a Slytherin along with Pansy Parkinson, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle. Instead he was shocked that the hat had discovered his secret and put him into Gryffindor instead. After the hat he had looked up at Professor McGonagall and asked for a resort but she wouldn?t allow it.

His first few weeks in school weren?t great for him. He had both the Slytherin?s and Gryffindor?s against him. He had almost got Harry expelled during their first flying lesson by trying to impress the Slytherin?s who weren?t impressed at all. That was the day he had befriended Hermione Granger and soon the Gryffindor?s except Ron accepted him. Ron and Harry became his friend after they rescued Hermione from a troll, but it took a while for Ron to actually trust Draco but in the end they became friends. In their first year they put themselves in danger by rescuing the Philosopher?s stone. That was the first time Draco disappointed his father greatly.

In second year Draco and Harry were both accused of petrifying the students, more Harry than Draco since Harry seemed to always be found at the crime scenes. Everyone was shocked when they realized it was Ron?s little sister Ginny doing it, although it wasn?t her fault since she being possessed by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Harry was the one to rescue her. Draco was with Professor Snape the night that Harry rescued Ginny. To Draco?s surprise even though his father was furious about Harry saving Ginny and stopping He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named from returning, he still allowed Harry to come over for a couple weeks in July. Harry hadn?t wanted to but Draco had convinced that everything would be fine. His father had only been around the first week, he had gone off somewhere the second only to return the day Harry was going home so he could take him home.

Third year was probably the most memorable, there were Dementors at their school because a prisoner from Azkaban had escaped and was after Harry. It turned out that the man was after Ron?s rat who was an animagus, the rat was really Peter Pettigrew. The man who had betrayed Harry?s parents. The prisoner, Sirius Black was really Harry?s Godfather and Harry?s parents best friend. Harry and Hermione had used a time-turner to go back and save Sirius from the Dementors while Draco stayed behind. He was supposed to stay back and explain everything to Ron incase he woke up or incase the nurse came to check on them, but Draco didn?t even have to wait a minute before they returned from saving Sirius who flew away on a Hippogriff. The same Hippogriff that Draco had accidently offended and it had attacked him, causing his father to make a huge trial out of it. Draco kept trying to explain that he was fine and it was his fault but his father didn?t like Hagrid and hoped this would change Draco?s mind about whom he hung out with. His father believed it would not have happened if he was a Slytherin.

The next summer Draco didn?t see his friends until the Quidditch World Cup. He came with his parents while his friends went with the whole Weasley family who had managed to get tickets for the sky box. His parents allowed him to go with the Weasley?s after the game which surprised him for a while until the commotion at the camp site, and he understood everything. His parents had told him that they had to go home to bed early, in front of the Weasley?s but he knew that they were involved with the Death Eater march. He told everyone that his parents had no idea what had happened until the next day, he wasn?t sure if they believed him or not but he wasn?t going to tell them the truth.

That brought him to thinking about the events of the last year in school. Harry had been entered the Tri-Wizard Tournament and had been chosen, no one knew how until the end of the year. Most people thought he had entered it himself, which caused a fight between Harry and Ron because Ron was jealous that Harry was getting all the attention. Hermione and Draco didn?t know what to do about the whole fight. It resulted that Draco ended up spending most of his time with Ron while Hermione spent her time with Harry. Draco had a feeling that Ron didn?t enjoy his company too much. Draco knew that Ron preferred Harry?s company over his. Eventually the two boys made up and they all began worrying about dates for the Yule Ball.

Draco asked a girl who was one of Ginny?s friends to the Yule Ball, Leslie Williams. Their relationship had started that night and ended the beginning of the summer. He would never forget their night at the Ball. It was very memorable. She was with the Daily Prophet who refused to believe that Harry was telling the truth about He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was back. Instead the Prophet printed stories about Harry being mental. Leslie believed the stories so Draco broke it off with her. Draco had stopped reading the Daily Prophet because he knew they were just trying to make Harry look bad and not worry the public. Draco knew that Harry wasn?t lying, his father could prove that to him.

Draco sighed and rolled over to close his eyes and sleep. It was getting late and he was tired, he hoped to have a letter from Harry the next day.

* * *

Draco dumped his new school supplies in his trunk. There was only a week left to go to school, and he could finally see his friends. If he still had friends? for that matter. He was beginning to believe that they were blaming him for his father?s actions the night that Harry fought He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. He hadn?t received a letter from Harry in weeks. He knew that Harry had his hearing and had gotten off, his father had told him but he wished that his friends could have told him that instead. He had even written to Ginny whom he had gotten along with fairly well and she hadn?t written back either. He decided to start packing the rest of the things he would need for school in his trunk. As he started putting his homework carefully in the trunk, the fireplace in his room suddenly lit up. Someone stepped out a few moments later and Draco gasped when he saw whom it was. 

"Ginny? What are you doing here?" He asked.

"Hello." She said smiling. "Nice room, it?s very big. Wow. You even have your own bathroom."

"But how did you get through? The fireplaces here are passworded." Draco said still not believing that Ginny Weasley was standing in his room.

"You have to make sure that everyone is out of the Common Room before you tell your friends important information. I was in the Common Room that night when you told Ron, Hermione and Harry how the fire?s are passworded here and the password to your room." Ginny answered.

"Oh." Draco said sinking down on his bed still staring at her. She was a very pretty girl. "So why did you come?"

"Well you didn?t sound very happy in your last letter." Ginny said walking over and sitting down beside him on the bed. "I didn?t want you to pull a Harry so I decided to come. You can?t tell them I came though. My parents are very strict about using the floo network incase it is being watched. This was the best time I could come, the others are cleaning and mum left somewhere. No one pays attention to me so I doubt they?ll notice I?ve disappeared for a half-hour."

"So what is going on then?" Draco asked. "And you better be prepared to hide in case Father comes up to check on me. He has been doing that a lot lately."

Ginny pulled out something from her robes and Draco recognized it as Harry?s invisibility cloak. Ginny?s sneakiness continued to amaze him. She had pulled a lot of snaky tricks the year before, he didn?t know she had it in her. He didn?t want to ask how she managed to get it, but he could see Fred and George in her more and more every day.

"Well we are staying somewhere. I can?t say it though for the summer. It really hasn?t been that much fun, all we?ve been doing is cleaning the house else trying to get information from the Order. The place we are at is their meeting place."Ginny said in a whisper.

"What?s the Order?" Draco asked whispering too.

"It?s a group that Dumbledore put together to fight You-Know-Who. They are trying to get information about what he is doing at the moment. Hey, you wouldn?t know anything about it would you?

?No. Are you kidding? Risk having you lot find out about it. Of course not, he doesn?t tell me anything and I spend most of my time in here anyway. So why are you all staying there?" Draco asked.

"Well we wanted Harry over and The Burrow wouldn?t be safe enough so we are just living there for the summer. We wanted to invite both you and Hermione as well, you know have all of Harry?s friends around him but we weren?t sure if it would be safe to invite you. We all know you are trustworthy, but it?s your father we are worried about. What if he tried to get information from you? Or what if you had to have a meeting with You-Know-Who and he got the information out of you? We heard that the Death Eater kids have been meeting him. Hermione is worried that you?ll think we don?t want you around but that isn?t it. She feels bad that we can?t write more letters to you but sending letters are dangerous these days. After Harry calmed down he told us that you weren?t very happy that you weren?t with us."

"Harry was angry?" Draco asked. "And You-Know-Who doesn?t want to meet me at the moment. He knows everything and is furious, but I know that eventually he will want to meet me. Your basically saying that you lot won?t be able to tell me anything even when we are at school."

"I don?t know, they might tell you things once we?re back at school. Harry was more than angry. He was yelling. You could hear him all through the house, yelling at Hermione and Ron. He has been bad tempered all summer actually. After I got your letter I decided to try and visit you, which hasn?t been easy. I didn?t feel like having you lose your temper as well." Ginny answered.

"Malfoy?s don?t lose their tempers. I didn?t know what I was going to do when I saw you again." Draco answered. ?I-?

"Is that someone in the hall?" Ginny asked whispering looking startled.

Draco stopped talking and listened. There was someone walking down the hall, coming to his room. Draco motioned for Ginny to get under the cloak before he got off the bed and kneeled in front of his trunk to pretend that he was packing. A few moments later someone knocked and the door opened to reveal his father. He looked up at his father hoping he didn?t know that someone had been through the floo network at their place.

"Good your packing, I came up to see if you had started yet. You are always late about that. Now did you get everything that you needed for the school year?" His father said.

"Yes, even though the book lists haven?t even come yet." Draco answered.

"Well I told you what books you needed this year and if you need any more I can send them to you. Dolores Umbridge is very reliable about that. Anyway, I?m leaving in about an hour for important business and I won?t be back for a few weeks. I just wanted to let you know that you are to stay out of trouble this year. This year is going to be far different from the previous years and I am really pressing this Draco. Do not do anything to get on the wrong side of anyone. Just concentrate on your studies because you are starting your OWL year. You know you need top marks to get anywhere in life. Do you understand?"

Draco nodded. "Yes father. But where are you going?"

"I can?t tell you that Draco. Now remember what I said."

Before Draco could say another word, his father turned and left the room as quickly as he appeared. Draco whispered for Ginny to stay under the clock a few minutes longer. He began packing again waiting to signal Ginny when he thought it was safe. After he had all his homework in the trunk, he gave Ginny the thumbs up. Ginny did not appear though.

"Ginny?" He asked.

He stood up and looked around. Had she left the room? His father had left the door open when he came in, maybe she had decided to explore his house. Maybe he would give her the grand tour if she had enough time, but he had to find her first. He started to head toward his bedroom door when Ginny appeared in the bathroom doorway.

"Where are you going?" She asked.

"Looking for you." Draco answered.

"Oh I wanted to see what your bathroom looked like." Ginny answered shrugging. "So do you understand now that we aren?t trying to ignore you?"

Draco nodded. "Yeah, I wasn?t sure what everyone thought after what happened the night Cedric Diggory died."

"No one blames you for your father?s actions." Ginny said softly. "Everyone knows that you aren?t your father, you?ve proved that enough. It?s just too risky to have you over that?s all. I?m sure they?ll tell you everything you need to know once school starts."

Draco nodded. "So do you have time for the tour or do you have to go back?"

Ginny checked her watch. "Well, if you can make it fast, I can. I?ve only been gone fifteen minutes, and I don?t think anyone will have noticed yet."

Draco smiled and waited for Ginny to go under the cloak before leading her out of the room to show her around. He hoped that she wouldn?t be caught for sneaking over here.

A/N: You?ll notice a lot of the story line is the same but I figured it was important to keep it like that for Harry. I wasn?t going to have Buckbeak attack Draco but it was important for Sirius to escape so I kept that too. There are things that have been changed, and things that still remain the same. But keep in mind that this story was started over a year ago when I wasn?t very creative, you?ll see that if you read the first story. I?ve written a lot of fanfiction since at and the stories have improved a lot. So remember that for when you see that things don?t seem to be changed. I am only finishing this story for my own curiosity anyway and I?m going by the notes I wrote a year ago. I was actually going to just start over the whole thing and do it completely different but I decided to do it this way instead. If you don?t like it, you can complain and tell me how uncreative I am and don?t worry I won?t go all angst on you. Good reviews are nice too though. :) Anyway, I do hope you enjoy and if not, I?ll be happy when I get this story done. Remember, let me know if you want to see third and fourth year done and I?ll do them. Second year won?t be finished though.


	2. Off to school we go

Draco dragged his trunk over to the train. Unhappy about the cold goodbye his mother had given him. He wished or almost wished that she still called him Draky, but she was like his father. She wished that he wouldn't hang out with Ron, Hermione or Harry. As he walked over to the train, someone called after him. He turned around only to see Pansy. He rolled his eyes and climbed on the train.

"Draco, you're going to talk to me whether you like it or not!" Pansy said. She grabbed him by the arm and pulled him into an empty compartment.

"If you're going to apologize-" Draco began.

"No, I am not going to apologize because you got what you deserved. Draco, it's time to grow up and realize our destiny! We didn't understand when we were kids but now it's time to do what we must. I came to tell you that you still have time!" Pansy said very quickly.

"Pansy, this is my destiny. Maybe yours is to be a Death Eater but or maybe you're just too cowardly to stand up for what you believe in. I was sorted into Gryffindor for a reason." Draco answered. "If I were in Slytherin, maybe it would be different."

"Whatever, but Draco I'm a prefect and so you'd better watch your back." Pansy said as the train started to move.

"You better go to the prefects carriage then. I have to find my friends." Draco said.

He left the compartment quickly as a few second year girls glanced in hopefully.

"You can sit there, no one is using it." He told them.

He started peering into every compartment as he went through the train. He couldn't find them anywhere. He guessed that Hermione and Harry were in the prefects carriage so he just had to find Ron. He finally glanced into a compartment and saw Ginny, Harry, Neville and a girl he didn't know. She had blond hair, a wand stuck behind her ear and reading a magazine upside down. Draco sat down beside her after putting his trunk in the luggage rack.

"Where are Hermione and Ron?" Draco asked Harry.

"They were made prefects." Harry answered.

"Oh. I thought that you would be made prefect." Draco said shocked that Ron would be made prefect. "I know Pansy is a Slytherin prefect. She was trying to convert me."

"I've caused too much trouble." Harry answered. "So how was your summer?"

"Boring." Draco said.

"We were going to invite you-" Harry began.

"I understand, there is no point in dwelling on it." Draco interrupted him. He didn't feel like discussing it really.

"Guess what I got for my birthday?" Neville spoke up.

"Another Remembrall?" Harry asked.

Draco flushed guiltily as he remembered Neville's last Remembrall. He had taken it after Neville had fallen off his broomstick during the first flying lessons. He had been trying to impress the Slytherins. He had wanted them to know that he was still on their side. Unfortunately neither the Slytherins nor Gryffindors were impressed. He had almost got Harry expelled, but Draco felt that it was also Harry's fault. If he hadn't tried to act the hero, it wouldn't have happened, but of course Harry was rewarded and he ended up on the Quidditch team. Draco started thinking about how he had once gotten Neville in a lot of trouble when suddenly he was hit in the face with smelly slimy green liquid. Draco coughed and sneezed as he accidently sniffed some up his nose.

"What the hell?" He asked wiping off his face.

Slimy green liquid was all over everyone. Ginny had it in her hair, Harry had it all over his face, the girl's magazine was covered in it. Neville was the most drenched, he was holding a small cactus like plant in it hands.

"S-sorry." Neville said. "I haven't tried that before . . . didn't realize it would be quite so . . . don't worry stinksap isn't poisonous."

Draco sneezed again as the compartment door opened and a pretty girl named Cho Chang stepped in. It was Harry's crush, Draco grinned at him through the stinksap.

"Oh . . . hello Harry." She said. "Bad time?"

"Nope, we're enjoying this." Draco muttered.

"Oh hi." Harry said at the same time.

"Um . . . well I just thought I'd say hello . . . bye then." She said.

She left quickly looking embarrassed and Harry groaned. Draco in spite of himself started to laugh. It was very funny, for anyone who wasn't Harry. Harry glared at him as he wiped away more stinksap on his face. Neville still looked really guilty but Ginny got rid of it right away using a vanishing spell. Draco didn't see what the big deal was, but he didn't embarrass easily. After awhile Draco and Ginny began talking about Leslie.

"She has changed her mind now, you know." Ginny said. "She wrote a long letter to me apologizing. I think she is just saying it to get you back though."

"I haven't gotten any letters from her yet." Draco said shrugging.

"Well no, you wouldn't have. She is hoping I would tell you what she said." Ginny said. "I think she wants me to play match maker like I did last year."

"I don't like her." Neville spoke up. "She is very . . . I dunno snooty, acts like she is better than everyone . . . "

"Which is why she and Draco are made for each other." Harry said. "He acts like he is better than everyone else too."

"That's because I am." Draco said grinning. "But I don't know if I want to go back out with her. She is too clingy."

The Trolley cart soon came and Draco ordered almost everything, offering some of his food to the girl beside him since she didn't buy any. She smiled at him as she lowered her magazine and took the Pumpkin pastie he was holding out for her.

"Thank you. You are very kind. You're Draco Malfoy and you're in Gryffindor. I heard Malfoy's aren't kind." She said.

"Uh huh. So what is your name anyway?"

"Luna Lovegood. I'm in Ravenclaw. It's a nice house. You're probably better off in Gryffindor than Slytherin because Professor Snape makes the Slytherin's drink-"

The Compartment door opened and Ron and Hermione stepped in. Hermione was dragging her trunk and holding her cat Crookshanks while Ron was holding his owl Pigwidgeon. They both put their luggage away before sitting down. Ron complained that he was starving and began eating Harry's chocolate frogs. Hermione sat down beside Ginny.

"Well there are two fifth year prefects from each house." Hermione said. "A girl and boy each."

"Who is the boy Slytherin prefect?" Draco asked. "I already know Pansy in the girl Slytherin prefect. She was already threatening me with detentions."

"Blaise Zabini." Ron said.

"Who are Hufflepuffs?" Harry asked.

"Hannah Abbot and Ernie Macmillan."

"And Terry Boot and Padma Patil for Ravenclaw." Hermione said looking over at Draco.

"You went to Yule Ball with Padma Patil." Luna told Ron.

"Yea I know I did." Ron said.

"She didn't enjoy it very much." Luna said. "She doesn't think you treated her very well, because you wouldn't dance with her. I don't think I would have minded. I don't like dancing very much."

Her statement was followed by silence and Ginny was trying hard not to laugh. Draco was beginning to sense that there was something strange about her. He wondered what it was that she going to say that Snape made the Slytherin's drink.

"So how was your summer Draco?" Hermione asked in a nervous voice. "You're not angry that you couldn't come over?"

"Yes, don't worry about it. I found a way to entertain myself." He said, not sure if he was convincing since she continued to stare at him.

Draco looked over Luna's shoulder to see why she was reading the magazine upside down. He discovered it was because she was trying reveal a spell from a puzzle with Runes. She seemed to be in deep concentration and he wondered if the spell would be rubbish, whatever it was for since he couldn't see. She was reading the Quibbler, the strangest magazine probably in the whole wizarding world.

"Er- so have you revealed the spell yet? It looks very uh interesting." Draco said.

"Nope, it is very challenging. I like challenges you know. They keep me busy. My daddy is the editor of the paper so I can get you a free copy if you'd like." She answered.

"Oh no, that's all right." Draco said. "I really don't read magazines."

Even though he had only known Luna for a short time it didn't surprise him to hear that her father was the editor of an unusual paper. She seemed a little flaky herself, but she had to be smart if she was in Ravenclaw.

Draco really wanted to talk freely with his friends but it was hard with Luna and Neville around. Neville still looked embarrassed for what his pant had done earlier. Draco thought about the coming school year. It was going to be tough. He knew that the teachers piled homework high during fifth year. He didn't know how he was going to get through it, he imagined with Hermione's nagging he would. At least she would be able to help him with Arithmancy since he knew it would be really hard that year.

The train started getting closer to the school so they all changed into their school uniforms with difficulty since there were so many people in the compartment. Draco hoped that the sorting wouldn't take too long, the snacks from earlier hadn't helped. He was very hungry and the sorting was boring for him anyway. The only time he had enjoyed it was in second year, and that was because he wasn't the one being sorted. He was also very sleepy, he never slept well the night before school started.

Once they arrived at school Hermione and Ron took off so they could supervise people leaving the train. That left the others to take care of their pets. Draco had sent Owl ahead so he only had to carry her perch. Luna took Pigwidgeon while Ginny took Crookshanks. Draco was the last to leave the compartment and as he left he was ambushed by Crabbe and Goyle. They both grabbed his arms and led him off the train.

"What are you doing?" Draco asked.

"Pansy wants to talk to you." Crabbe answered.

"She has already talked to me!" Draco said pulling out from their sandwich. "Tell her to sod off."

He pushed his way off the train and looked around for the others. They had already gone somewhere. Cursing Crabbe and Goyle, Draco climbed into the compartment that he had just seen the Weasley twins go into.

"Draco." Fred said. "Where are the others?"

"Don't know. I lost them." Draco said shrugging.

"Ah I see." George said as the horseless carriage began to move.

"So are you two still working on the joke shop?" Draco asked.

"We have already developed new products over the summer, extendable ears, rainbow teeth and skiving snackboxes." Fred answered.

"And those are exactly?"

"The extendable ears are for spying. They made for good use over the summer. The rainbow teeth make your teeth flash for a day. You dump the potion in someone's drink." George said.

"And the skiving snackboxes are for if you don't feel like going to class. One end of the candy will make you sick and the other end will make you feel better to do whatever you want. They aren't ready yet though." Fred added.

"Could use those this year." Draco muttered.

When the carriage stopped, they quickly scrambled out. Fred and George telling Draco exactly how brutal fifth year was going to be. Draco wondered if the others were already inside. Fred and George separated from Draco as they entered the Great Hall. Draco headed up the table looking for the others. He finally found a spot in front of Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown. He looked up at the staff table to see who the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher was. There was a familiar looking woman sitting in the seat looking around the hall. Draco wondered where he had seen her before as Ron, Harry, Hermione and Neville joined him across the table between Parvati and Lavender and Nearly-Headless-Nick, the Gryffindor ghost.

"He's not there." Harry said as he stared up at the staff table.

"Who?" Draco asked.

"Hagrid." Ron said.

"He's still with the first year's isn't he?" Draco asked shrugging.

"No that Grubbly-Plank teacher was. Hagrid isn't here." Harry said in a worried voice.

"He's probably just doing something for Dumbledore then." Draco said. "That is his job after all. I wouldn't worry about it."

A look of thoughtfulness appeared on Harry's face as he whispered something to Ron and Hermione. Draco caught "from his mission" and guessed that Harry was talking about how Dumbledore had sent Hagrid on a mission the night He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named came back.

"Yeah, yeah that'll be it." Ron said.

"Look, we all know Hagrid is tough." Draco said. "He's fine, now does anyone know who that new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher is? She looks familiar."

Harry looked up at the table. Harry's eyes seemed to fill with recognition as he stared at her as well. She was still looking around the Hall. Draco got the impression of a toad from looking at her. He was sure hehe had seen herbefore, but from where? Had she been at Hogwarts since Harry recognized her too?

"It's that Umbridge Woman!" Harry said.

"Who?" Hermione asked.

"Oh Dolores Umbridge." Draco said. "She works at the Ministry. My dad knows her. No wonder she looks familiar. I met her a year before I started Hogwarts."

"Yea, she was at my Hearing." Harry said.

"If she works at the Ministry what is she doing here?" Hermione asked.

"She has this way of making you feel like you are going to be sick when she talks to you." Draco said.

"No..." Hermione muttered, sill staring up at the staff table. "Surely not."

"What?" Draco asked.

But Hermione shook her head. Draco looked up at the staff table and watched as Professor Grubbly-Plank made her way up the staff table. That meant that the sorting would begin soon. He really hoped that it wouldn't be long. His stomach was now grumbling very loudly. Moments later Professor McGonagall entered with a long line of scared looking first years. They seemed to be getting smaller every year he thought, and not just because he was growing. They actually seemed to be smaller than the previous years first years. Everyone in the Great Hall stopped talking and moments later the old witches' hat sitting on a stool began to sing where there was a rip in the brim.

In times of old when I was new  
And Hogwarts barely started  
The Founders of our noble school  
Thought never to be parted:  
nited by a common goal,  
They had the selfsame yearning  
To make the world's best magic school  
And pass along their learning.  
"Together we will build and teach!"  
The Four good friends decided  
And never did they dream that they  
Might someday be divided,  
For were there such friends anywhere  
As Slytherin and Gryffindor?  
Unless it was the second pair  
Of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw?  
So how could it have gone so wrong?  
How could such friendships fail?  
Why, I was there and so can tell  
The whole sad, sorry tale.  
Said Slytherin, "We'll teach just those  
Whose ancestry is purest."  
Said Ravenclaw, "We'll teach those whose  
Intelligence is surest."  
Said Gryffindor, "We'll teach all those  
With brave deeds to their name,"  
Said Hufflepuff, "I'll teach the lot,  
And treat them just the same."  
These differences caused little strife  
When first they came to light,  
For each of the four founders had  
A House in which they might  
Take only those they wanted, so,  
For instance, Slytherin  
Took only pure-blood wizards  
Of great cunning, just like him,  
And only those of sharpest mind  
Were taught by Ravenclaw  
While the bravest and the boldest  
Went to daring Gryffindor,  
Good Hufflepuff, she took the rest,  
And taught them all she knew,  
Thus the Houses and their founders  
Retained friendships firm and true.  
So Hogwarts worked in harmony  
For several happy years,  
But the discord crept among us  
Feeding on our faults and fears.  
The Houses that, like pillars four,  
Had once held up our school,  
Now turned upon each other and,  
Divided, sought to rule.  
And for a while it seemed the school  
Must meet an early end,  
What with dueling and with fighting  
And the clash of friend on friend  
And at last there came a morning  
When old Slytherin departed  
And though the fighting then died out  
He left us quite downhearted.  
And never since the founders four  
Were whittled down to three  
Have the Houses been united  
And they once were meant to be.  
And now the Sorting Hat is here  
And you all know the score:  
I sort you into Houses  
Because that is what I'm for,  
But this year I'll go further,  
Listen closely to my song:  
Though condemned I am to split you  
Still I worry that it's wrong,  
Though I must fulfill my duty  
And must quarter every year  
Still I wonder whether sorting  
May not bring the end I fear.  
Oh, know the perils, read the signs,  
The warning history shows,  
For our Hogwarts is in danger  
From external, deadly foes  
And we must unite inside her  
Or we'll crumble from within  
I have told you, I have warned you..  
Let the sorting now begin

The hat stopped singing and Draco just stared. Had the hat just given out a warning? He didn't clap along with everyone else. He wasn't the only one wondering about the warning. People were starting to talk again. Including Ron, Harry and Hermione.

"I wonder if it has given out warnings before." Hermione said anxiously.

Draco wasn't paying attention to her now though. He had just caught a glimpse of Leslie sitting beside Ginny and he focused on her instead. She seemed to be prettier that evening then usual. She had herblond hair in pigtails and she seemed oblivious to the fact that the hat had just given out warning. She had a dreamy look on her face instead, staring up at the roof which was bewitched to look like the night sky. Draco wondered why it was that he had broke up with her. Ginny caught his eye and winked at him before looking back at the first years being sorted. Draco stared down at his plate instead, bored and unhappy.

Once the sorting ended Professor Dumbledore stood up to make his usual quick speech before the feast, than they could finally eat. Draco only half listened to his friends talking while he was eating, they were talking about the sorting hat's song again. He knew why it was giving out a warning, anyone in the Great Hall should know. He didn't think that the four houses would unite though, not with the Slytherin's the way they were. That would never happen so there was no point in worrying about it. What Draco wanted at the moment was to talk to Ginny.

Draco looked across the table at Harry wondering what he was thinking as Hermione and Ron were glaring daggers at each other. Obviously they had been arguing about something again, Draco had been too lost in his thoughts to hear anything. He had just realized how loud the Great Hall actually was that night. He glanced over at Leslie again and saw that she was staring back at him. She blushed before leaning over to whisper something in Ginny's ear.

"Well I'm full." Draco said finally as he finished eating.

"I'm stuffed." Ron said. "Could use some more pudding though."

"Yea I-" Draco began but Dumbledore stood up at that moment.

"Well now that we are all digesting another magnificent feast, I beg a few moments of your attention for the usual start of term notices." He said.

_The usual announcements._ Draco thought as he leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes feeling sleepy. He just wanted to go to bed now. He wanted to talk to Ginny first though. He hoped he could stop her before they left the Great Hall. He listened to Dumbledores voice and the clapping as students welcomed Umbridge and Grubbly-Plank. He wondered if he could get some of the twins snackboxes, maybe he and Leslie could get some together and take class off together one afternoon and day dreamed about that. Draco was suddenly aware that Professor Dumbledore wasn't speaking anymore. He opened his eyes to see that Umbridge who was very short had stood up and was now talking instead. When had that happened?

People weren't even listening to her, except a few, Hermione being included in those few. Draco leaned forward to speak to Harry and Ron.

"I expect she'll be another one of those teachers that we have to listen talk all lesson, instead of actually doing something." He whispered.

"You were right about how she can make you feel sick." Ron whispered back.

"I have a feeling that this is what father meant. Last week he told me that I had to be on my best behaviour because things were changing here. He said it was more important this year than any year."

"Did your father tell you anything else?" Harry asked.

"No." Draco answered knowing what Harry meant by that. "He only really checked up on me. He told me about your hearing though, how come you didn't answer my letter any way?"

"I didn't get any letters from you all summer." Harry replied. "I didn't know if you were getting mine or if you were being like everyone else and leaving me out."

"I did get your letters. I responded to them." Draco muttered.

He felt anger go through him. His father had been reading his mail and then not sending it along. He was surprised that Harry's mail had gotten to him. Draco shook his head angrily, that mean that his other letters didn't go. Except possibly the one that Ginny had received.

Draco was aware that Professor Umbridge had finished speaking and now Dumbledore was speaking again. He wished that the feast would just end already.

"Thank you very much, Professor that was most illuminating." Professor Dumbledore said.

Draco laughed as Hermione said: "Yes is certainly was illuminating."

"I didn't hear a word that she said." Draco muttered. "But I can't see how it could have been illuminating since no one else was listening either."

"Yea, it sounded quite dull." Ron agreed. "From what I heard of it and I really didn't hear much of it. But we're talking about Hermione here." "Is that what you meant earlier?" Draco asked her. "I had a feeling, and from what father was saying . . . "

Hermione nodded and glared up at the staff table. Around them people were just getting up which meant that the feast was over. Draco quickly jumped out of seat and hurried over to Ginny. When he reached her, he grabbed her arm and pulled her though the crowd.

"Yes, she was talking about you." Ginny said as they entered the Great Hall. "I had a feeling you were going to ask me that. I thought you said you weren't sure if you wanted to go back out with her?"

"So" Draco began ignoring her last comment, he had heard what he wanted to. "Did anyone notice that you were gone?"

Ginny shook her head. "No, when I got back, Fred and George were in a corner talking about their Skiving Snack boxes and, Hermione and Ron were together talking about Harry, they are worried about him and Harry was just cleaning quietly. No one even looked up when I walked in the room."

"What about Percy?" Draco asked.

He had heard that Percy and the Weasley family had a fight but he wasn't sure. Ginny looked away from him and didn't answer at first. They just walked together through one of Harry's short cuts to Gryffindor Tower.

"Percy left the family." Ginny finally said. "He doesn't believe Harry or Dumbledore that you-know-who is back. He and dad had a large row about it."

"What? How can he not believe? When did this happen?"

It's a long story. Percy was promoted to junior assistant to the Minister right before we were going to join the Order. It was kind of strange you know, after what happened with Mr. Crouch there was an inquiry and everything. Dad was suspicious about it so he wasn't as happy as Percy was. He thinks that Fudge only promoted Percy so he could spy on dad. If he finds out that anyone in the Ministry is associated with Dumbledore than he'll fire them, and he suspects dad. They all think that Dumbledore and Harry are mad-"

"Yea, I read about that in the Prophet." Draco interrupted and his father was really pleased with that.

"Percy also said that it was dad's fault that he had trouble finding a good job at the Ministry because dad has a bad reputation, and that's why we don't have a lot of money. Percy said that if our parents were going to be traitors to the Ministry than he would let everyone know that he had nothing to do with our family. He left that night. Mum is really upset about it and dad always breaks something." Ginny continued.

"Wow." Draco said. "I never would have thought he would . . . " but he trailed off.

He remembered throwing something in his fathers face, only his father deserved it, Mr. Weasley didn't. Ginny didn't say another word, she looked really angry and stared at the floor as they headed to Gryffindor Tower. So many fights were being caused, he thought to himself, he wished everything could go back to the simpler times. For the first time since first year he started to regret that he was a Gryffindor. He pushed the thought away quickly though, he didn't want to turn out like Pansy. He would not betray his friends.

A/N: I probably will do third and fourth year but I'm not sure about sixth year. See I think J.K. had a reason for using Snape to kill Dumbledore and I haven't decided how to do that. Being part of the whole plan was something for Slytherin Draco, but not Gryffindor Draco. I actually liked how Draco was behind the whole thing, I didn't like Dumbledore dying but it made more depth to Draco's character, and the fact that he lowered his wand in the end. Anyway, I also liked how their was a battle at Hogwarts as well. So I'm really not sure how I would do number six, if anyone has any suggestions I am up for them. For now you can expect third and fourth year but I don't know about sixth. Maybe by the time I am finished all three stories, the seventh book will be out and I'll have a better idea. And trust me, it might take me that long because right now I can probably update as much as I want but writer's block may kick in and plus I'm going to college next year.  
Anyway I hoped you enjoyed.


End file.
